Slit paper method of expansion, shipment and expansion devices

Abstract

An expansion devise includes an unexpended slit sheet roll that is wound on a paper core that is wider than the slit sheet paper. The paper core is placed into a yoke that holds the paper in position on each side of the unexpended slit sheet material. An adjustable downward pressure is exerted on the paper core and the paper core exerts pressure on the yoke. As the paper is pulled, this downward pressure creates the friction required to enable the unexpended slit sheet to be unwind and fed while simultaneously expanding. A blank sheet is formed into a box that stabilizes slit paper sheet wound around a core member.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of expanding expandable slit-sheet paper with an expansion device, comprising:
 A) providing an expandable slit-sheet paper product, comprising: 
 an expandable slit-sheet paper having an array of slits; 
 said expandable slit-sheet paper being wound in an unexpanded state into a roll around a cylindrical core member that extends through a center of said roll of said expandable slit-sheet paper; 
 said core member having a length greater than a length of said roll of said expandable slit sheet paper; 
 said core member having a first distal end that protrudes outwardly from a first end of said roll of said expandable slit sheet paper and having a second distal end that protrudes outwardly from a second end of said roll of said expandable slit sheet paper; 
 wherein said first distal end protrudes outwardly from the first end of said roll of said expandable slit sheet paper by at least ¼ inch and said second distal end protrudes outwardly from said second end of said roll of said expandable slit sheet paper by at least ¼ inch; and 
 wherein said core member is a paper core member, wherein said paper core member is a round tube made with paper; 
 B) providing an expander device, comprising: 
 a first support configured to support said first distal end of said core member; 
 a second support configured to support said second distal end of said core member; 
 said first support having a first opening with a first curved support surface having a curvature that extends around a curvature of the outer peripheral surface of the first distal end of said core member; 
 said second support having a second opening with a second curved support surface having a curvature that extends around a curvature of the outer peripheral surface of the second distal end of said core member; 
 C) supporting said expandable slit-sheet paper product on said expander device with said outer peripheral surface of the first distal end of said core member supported on said first curved support surface and with said outer peripheral surface of the second distal end of said core member supported on said second curved support surface; 
 D) applying friction pressure between said first curved support surface and the outer peripheral surface of the first distal end of said core member; and 
 E) manually pulling a distal end of said expandable slit-sheet paper from a periphery of said roll of expandable slit-sheet paper with said friction pressure between said first curved support surface and the outer peripheral surface of the first distal end of said core member being sufficient to simultaneously both a) unwind and feed the distal end of said expandable slit-sheet paper from the periphery of said roll of slit-sheet paper and b) resist rotation of said roll of slit-sheet paper sufficiently to cause said expandable slit-sheet paper pulled from the periphery of said roll of expandable slit-sheet paper to expand into open cells. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 said first curved support surface is configured to support said first distal end of said core member underneath a bottom surface of said first distal end of said core member and said second curved support surface is configured to support said second distal end of said core member underneath a bottom surface of said second distal end of said core member. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 said first curved support surface is positioned in contact with a bottom surface of said first distal end of said core member and said second curved support surface is positioned in contact with a bottom surface of said second distal end of said core member. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said applying friction pressure further includes increasing said friction pressure with a movable pressure member. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , further including a spring that presses said pressure member. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 4 , wherein said pressure member is a hinged member that is hinged on said expander device. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein said hinged member has a substantially flat pressing surface. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , further including a threaded member that increases frictional pressure between said pressure member and said outer peripheral surface of said first distal end of said core member upon rotation of the threaded member in a first direction and that decreases frictional pressure between said pressure member and said outer peripheral surface of said first distal end of said core member upon rotation of the threaded member in a second direction. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein said threaded member includes a shaft element that passes through said hinged member. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said first distal end protrudes outwardly from the first end of said roll of said expandable slit sheet paper by at least ½ inch and said second distal end protrudes outwardly from said second end of said roll of said expandable slit sheet paper by at least ½ inch. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said first distal end protrudes outwardly from the first end of said roll of said expandable slit sheet paper by at least 1 and ½ inches and said second distal end protrudes outwardly from said second end of said roll of said expandable slit sheet paper by at least 1 and ½ inches. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said paper core is a hollow round tube made with paper.